Rosatom has begun developing a new floating nuclear power plant with a capacity of 180 megawatts. This was announced by the deputy director general of the corporation, Andrei Nikipelov. ‘We plan to build a whole series of floating power plants. Our next idea and next step is to build the floating “Power Plant 180”,’ said Andrei Nikipelov on the sidelines of World Nuclear Week.
Andrey Nikipelov: These are the same reactors that we have already built for the Rossiya icebreaker in Project 10510. With the RITM-400 units, the icebreaker will be the most powerful motorised ship in the world and will be able to break through ice thicknesses of 4 metres. According to Nikipelov, the new 180 MW unit is designed to meet the needs of the Russian Arctic.
The RITM-400 reactor is a further development of the RITM-200 with a heat capacity increased to 315 MW and, according to Rosatom, surpasses all existing ship reactors in the world. The plan is to keep the Northeast Passage open all year round.
Andrey Nikipelov also pointed out that the floating power plants are planned as 106 MW units for Arctic regions and 100 MW units for southern regions and for export.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal